Thermostatically-controlled radiator-valve.



1. s BRENNAN. THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED RADIATOR VALVE. APPLICATION FILED JAN-22. I916- Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

John a. BRENNAN, or MILWAUKEE, wIsooNsIN.

THERMOSTATIGALLY-CONTROLLED RADIATOR-VALVE. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 22, 1916. Serial No. 73,547.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN S. BRENNAN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ther mostatically Controlled Radiator Valves;

and I do hereby declare that the following 1s a full, clear, and exact description thereof. The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in trap valves and is more particularly related tothe provision of an automatic valve for relieving air and steam from the radiators of various types of steam heating systems. It is in general the object of the present 1nvent1on to improve the structure and render more positive the operation of valves of this character. 'In the latter connection, a d sadvantage encountered in present types of radlator trap valves including a thermostat formed of flexible members and 21- volat ile fluid, is that a positiveretraction of the valve head upon lowering of temperature is not had sufiiciently to free the mouth of the valve and it is therefore more specifically an object to provide an independent means for retracting the valve head upon lowering of the temperature to thus relieve the thermostat member from the work of such retraction. I

Anothenobject resides in the provision of a thermostatically controlled valve head structure wherein the valve head is positively guided for proper movement with relation to its seat.

Another object resides in the provision of an adjusting means with respect to the valve and its seat whereby the structure may be adjusted for operation under various differing conditions.

A further ob'ect resides in the provision of an improvedthermostat structure in connection witlithe valve -head and its guide whereby a simple and ready assembly of the thermostat structure is provided for and whereby a maximum flexibility of thethermostat may be had.

A still further object resides in the provisionof a thermostatically controlled valve associated with a radiator in such manner that a maximum sensitiveness of the thermostat element is provided for, and to this end a structure is contemplated wherein the steam does 'not' surround the valve head and thermostat in normal closing position, but

supplies its head indirectly to the thermostat.

With the above and other objects and ad vantages in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and arrangement of parts more fully hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

,Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken centrally through a preferred form of radiator trap valve embodying the present invention, and showing the valve head in a retracted open position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional the valve head, guide and thermostat, and showing the relation of parts assumed when the valve head is in extended or closing position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalview through a modified form of valve casing wherein a valve is provided to prevent back flow of fluid with the radiator.

Referring now more partlcularly to F1gs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, 5

Patented Mam, rem.

view taken through designates the body' of the trap which is closed at one end by the end plate 6 and which has an integral closure at its other end'provided with the laterally projecting inlet nipple 7 which is adapted to be connected with the bottom portion of the radiator, air inlet nipple 8 for connection with the suitable drain depending from the casing. Threaded in the inlet nipple .7 is a sleeve 9 which is ada ted to extend into the casing to form an ad ustable seat for the thermostat controlled valve. 7

This valve comprises a head plate'lO provided with a central boss 11 in which is threadedly engaged one end of the valve stem 12 which extends laterally therefrom and is passed slidably through the closed end of a guide sleeve 13, the other end of this sleeve being open and threadedly engaged in a hollow boss 14 formed on the end plate. 6. Threaded on the other end of the stem plates 18 each provided with an annular series of corrugations in the usual manner. The central portions of the plates are provided with apertures which receive the closed end of the sleeve and the boss of the valve plate respectively and the edges of the valves are engaged in and are soldered in annular grooves 19 formed in the boss and sleeve immediately adjacent to the flange 16, and valve plate respectively, the edges of the plates having a snapping engagement in said grooves. The outer edges of the plates 7 are directed laterally to form flange portions formed by the flexible plates. The open end of the sleeve isthen closed by the cap member 21 threaded therein and a further cap of solder 22 is disposed over the cap member 21 and the end of the sleeve to procure a hermetic seal.

By the foregoing structure of thermostat member, it is seen that a maximum flexibility is had, particularly over those types of thermostats wherein the flexible plates are held by certain washer members against flexibility throughout.

As the spring 15 performs the function of retracting the valve head, the thermostat plate 17 need not necessarily be of resilient material, and thus a more positive operation is provided for and an economy of structure is also procured. The valve stem is guided by the closed end of the guide sleeve 12 and by the collar 14 which fits the bore of said 1 guide sleeve and thus the valve head is held at all times in proper axial alinement with its seat, this belng an important advantage inasmuch as in various conventional types of valves of this general nature, the valve head is carried entirely by one of the thermostat plates and unequal expansion of the plate causes a distortion of the valve head.

Under normal conditions, when the valve head is closed, the steam does not surround the thermostat member, as it is held from the valve chamber. This conduces to an exceedingly sensitive operation of the thermostat member which at the same time does not detract from its eliiciency, as the escape of any steam into the casing would actuate the thermostat to close the valve, and normally when steam fills the radiator, the thermostat will by indirect heat therefrom be actuated to hold the valve closed.

Under certain conditions, a cooling of the steam in the radiator causes a partial vacuum resulting in a suction through the drain pipe and to provide against this suction it is desirable to place a check valve between the outlet from the radiator and the drain.

Fig. 3 shows an exceedingly'simple check valve structure associated with the present main valve, and in this construction the drain pipe nipple designated here at S depends from a chamber 23 formed in the valve casing under the radiator nipple 6 and threaded in the mouth of this chamber is a sleeve 24: carrying withinthe chamber a pivoted flap valve 25 which closes the sleeve against flow of fluid into the valve casing.

from the said chamber.

The foregoing arrangement provides for -radiator sufficient to operate the valve. A

single thermostat valve however, presents the disadvantage of permitting back flow of water into the radiator upon a partial vacuum being produced" therein upon shutting off the steam supply and I have found that the best results are procured by combining a check and thermostatically con trolled valve in the manner described, it being noticed that in the present structure the check valve is disposed below the port 7 so that a suflicient head of water within the valve casing 5 may be had to operate the check valve 25 without the levelof said head of water extending above the bottom of theradiator.

I claim:

1. In a valve of the class described the' combination of a casing including a valve seat, a valve head engageable with the seat, a stem rigidly connected with -the valve head, a bearing for the'intermediate portion of the stem, said bearing being rigid with respect to the casing, an expansib'le thermostat member between the valve head and bearing for advancing the head, and a spring between the free end of the stem and the bearing for retracting the valve head.

2. A thermostat valve head unit comprising a sleeve closed at one end, a valve head, a stem on the head slidably passed through the closed end of the sleeve, a thermostat chamber surrounding the sleeve adjacent the valve and connected with the valve head and sleeve, ports in the sleeve communicat ing with the chamber, a spring in the sleeve engaging the stem and a closure for the other end of the sleeve.

3. A thermostatically controlled valve head unit comprising a sleeve having one end closed, a valve head, a stem on said head slidable through the closed end of the 13$ sleeve and a thermostat chamber between the sleeve and valve head and having its walls connected therewith, ports in the closed end of the sleeve communicating with said chamber and a closure for the other end of the sleeve.

4. A thermostatically controlled valve head unit comprising a sleeve having one end closed, a circumscribing flange formed intermediately on the sleeve, a valve head, a stem on the valve head slidably passed through the closed end of the sleeve, thermostat plates secured to the sleeve and valve head, the edge portions of said plates being directed laterally in lapping relation and secured together to form a chamber port in the closed end of the sleeve communicating with said chamber, and a closure for the other end of the sleeve.

5. In a valve structure of the class described the combination of a main valve casing, closed at one end, an inlet port in said end, a thermostatically controlled valve head in the casing for closing the inlet port, a closure for the other end of the casing, a

chamber formed in the first end of the casing belowthe inlet port, an outlet communicating with the chamber, a sleeve threaded in the chamber, and a flap valve carried by the sleeve and adapted to seat on the end thereof.

6.'In a valve of the class described the combination of a valve seat, a valve head engageable with the seat, a thermostat member including relatively movable portions one of which is connected with the valve head, a stem rigidly extending from the head, a member connected with the other thermostat portion and telescopically slidably engagin vthe stem, and a rigid support for said mem er.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. BRENNAN.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. RA'romrrn, M. E. DOWNEY. 

